HOUNDFISH (Tylosurus crocodilus)
◎A very long, slender fish with a cylindrically shaped body and a bony head with long, bony jaws armed with sharp teeth; the dorsal fin is located well toward the rear of the body; coloration is greenish to bluish green along the back fading to silvery or silvery green sides and belly.
◎Similar Fish: closely related and similar in appearance to Atlantic Needlefish; distinguishable by much larger average size of houndfish (Atlantic needlefish rarely exceed 1 pound in local waters), the presence of a silvery horizontal stripe on Atlantic needlefish (absent on houndfish), and the presence of a caudal peduncle with a keel on the houndfish (no keel on caudal peduncle of Atlantic needlefish).
◎Size: up to 10 pounds; average size 3 - 6 pounds.
KING MACKEREL ((Kingfish, King) Scomberomorous cavalla)
◎A long, slender fish with a deeply forked tail, caudal peduncle keel and a mouthful of sharp teeth; coloration is bluish green, bluish gray, or dark gray on the top fading to silvery sides and belly; fins are a uniform, dusky color.
◎Similar Fish: closely related and similar in appearance to Spanish Mackerel, particularly in juvenile king mackerel which have bronze spots on their sides which fade in adult fish; distinguishable from Spanish mackerel by 1) dusky coloration of first dorsal fin (Spanish mackerel have a jet black forward portion of first dorsal fin; 2) lateral line which makes a pronounced dip at the start of the second dorsal fin (Spanish mackerel have a lateral line that dips gradually and relatively evenly from the head to the tail;) 3) 6 ~ 10 gillrakers on each gill arch (Spanish mackerel have 11 ~ 16 gillrakers on each gill arch); 4) spots on juvenile king mackerel are a dull bronze color (on Spanish mackerel the spots are a bright golden color).
◎Size: up to 90 pounds; average size is 7 ~ 25 pounds.
LITTLE TUNNY ((False Albacore) Euthynnus alletteratus)
◎Streamlined body shape tapering from head to tail; small finlets are present between dorsal and anal fins and the upright tail (caudal fin); coloration is dark greenish or dark greenish blue along the top and upper sides fading to silvery below; wavy stripes are present on the rear portion of the back (above the lateral line) and several dark spots appear below the base of the pectoral fin; caudal peduncle keel is present.
◎Similar Fish: Atlantic Bonito and Skipjack Tuna; distinguishable by location and placement of stripes on body.
◎Size: up to 35 pounds; average size ranges from 10 ~ 15 pounds.
GREAT BARRACUDA ((Barracuda) Sphyraena barracuda)
◎A long, slender fish with a pointed snout and a large mouth full of sharp teeth; coloration is silver with a green or grayish green back; several black or dark spots may occur on the sides toward the tail of the fish.
◎Similar Fish: Sennet, which are small relatives of the barracuda.
◎Size: up to 60 pounds; average size ranges from 7 ~ 20 pounds
LONGBILL SPEARFISH (Tetrapturus pfluegeri)
◎A relatively small fish, whose elongated body features an elongated dorsal fin; coloration is dark blue or cobalt blue on top fading to silvery white belly.
◎Size: up to 75 pounds; average size ranges from 20 ~ 35 pounds.